Virtual Yoga as a Viable Therapy for Chronic Low Back Pain
A 12-week virtual yoga program significantly reduces chronic low back pain and improves physical function in adults.
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A recent study from Cleveland Clinic highlights the effectiveness of a 12-week virtual yoga program for chronic low back pain, an approach that may improve accessibility to non-drug treatments. Published in JAMA Network Open, the study examined the safety, feasibility and impact of online yoga classes on pain reduction and physical function in adults with chronic low back pain.
Chronic low back pain: an ongoing challenge
Chronic low back pain affects around 20% of adults worldwide, often interfering with daily tasks and sleep. Health guidelines emphasize non-drug therapies as first-line treatment, such as physical therapy and in-person yoga, yet access to these services can be limited. This study explores whether a structured, online yoga regimen could be a practical alternative.
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Subscribe for FREEStudy structure and participant engagement
The Cleveland Clinic team conducted a 24-week randomized clinical trial with 140 adult participants, primarily women, aged 48 on average. All were members of Cleveland Clinic’s Employee Health Plan from Northeast Ohio and Florida, with the study running from May 2022 through May 2023. At the start, researchers assessed each participant’s pain intensity and physical function using standardized tools like the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire. Participants were then assigned to a “yoga now” group or a “yoga later” control group.
The 71 participants in the “yoga now” group completed live-streamed virtual yoga classes twice a week for 12 weeks, followed by a 12-week monitoring period. The remaining 69 participants continued with standard medical care. After the study, the control group was also offered access to non-study yoga classes.
Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire
A validated tool to assess physical disability in patients with low back pain, the questionnaire includes 24 items covering daily activities, with higher scores indicating greater disability.Randomized clinical trial
A study design where participants are randomly assigned to different treatment groups to compare outcomes, enhancing reliability by minimizing biases.Measuring the impact of virtual yoga on pain and function
Throughout the 12-week program, participants in the “yoga now” group reported significant pain reduction, along with enhanced back-related function compared to the control group. By the end of the trial, the yoga group experienced six times greater reductions in pain intensity and 2.7 times greater improvements in function. Additionally, participants in the yoga group reported a 34% decrease in pain medication use and a tenfold improvement in sleep quality. These benefits persisted through the 24-week follow-up period, suggesting the long-term potential of virtual yoga in managing chronic back pain.
Future research aims to broaden access
The Cleveland Clinic team plans to expand this research to include a more diverse patient population from multiple health systems, aiming to confirm the broader applicability of virtual yoga therapy for chronic low back pain management.
Reference: Tankha H, Gaskins D, Shallcross A, et al. Effectiveness of virtual yoga for chronic low back pain: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Network Open. 2024;7(11):e2442339-e2442339. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.42339
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